New York Yankees' Derek Jeter tosses a ball with a teammate during batting practice before the Yankees' baseball against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Friday, July 26, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)— AP

New York Yankees' Derek Jeter tosses a ball with a teammate during batting practice before the Yankees' baseball against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Friday, July 26, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)
/ AP

New York Yankees' Derek Jeter takes batting practice before the Yankees' baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Friday, July 26, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)— AP

New York Yankees' Derek Jeter takes batting practice before the Yankees' baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Friday, July 26, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)
/ AP

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22), Matt Joyce (20), and Jose Lobaton (59) celebrate with teammates after their 1-0 win over the New York Yankees in a baseball game Saturday, July 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)— AP

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22), Matt Joyce (20), and Jose Lobaton (59) celebrate with teammates after their 1-0 win over the New York Yankees in a baseball game Saturday, July 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
/ AP

New York Yankees starting pitcher Ivan Nova reacts as he leaves the field during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday, July 27, 2013, in New York. The Rays won the game 1-0. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)— AP

New York Yankees starting pitcher Ivan Nova reacts as he leaves the field during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday, July 27, 2013, in New York. The Rays won the game 1-0. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
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Tampa Bay Rays' Kelly Johnson watches his RBI single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Saturday, July 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)— AP

Tampa Bay Rays' Chris Archer delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Saturday, July 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
/ AP

NEW YORK 
It's no mystery the slumping New York Yankees could really use their captain.

They could get him back Sunday.

Derek Jeter passed one final test of his strained right quadriceps Saturday, playing a simulated game at a location the Yankees kept secret until after they lost 1-0 to the Tampa Bay Rays in the Bronx.

Jeter was at the home of the Staten Island Yankees a little more than 12 miles from where the big league club got two-hit by Chris Archer in its sixth loss in nine games since the All-Star break.

"It's obviously someone we've been waiting for for a long time," manager Joe Girardi said. "We had him for one day. We won that game, so hopefully his ratio continues."

If he's feeling well, Girardi said Jeter will start at shortstop Sunday for the Yankees.

Jeter returned to the Yankees July 11 after missing the first 91 games this season because of a twice broken ankle, first done in the opener of the AL championship series in October. He then pulled his quad running out a grounder in his first game back and was placed on the DL.

New York kept secret the locale of his simulated game because Girardi said early Saturday that he wanted let Jeter do his work. That set off a guessing game of sorts: Where in the Yankees universe was Derek Jeter?

Guesses on Twitter regarding Jeter's whereabouts ranged from the Staten Island Yankees field to the Mets' Citi Field in Queens to PlayStation.

A small flock of pigeons planted themselves at shortstop in the top of the fifth at Yankee Stadium and didn't leave the infield until the eighth. Could they have been looking for Jeter, too?

At Staten Island, Jeter faced a Class-A pitcher. He had eight at-bats, and ran from first to third and second to home. He also fielded his position, which included just getting set at shortstop.

"You can be in great shape, but playing shape's a little bit different because you're getting used to standing around, starting and stopping, so we had to do all that," Girardi said. "As of right now, he came out very well. So we'll see how he feels tomorrow."

With Jeter out and Alex Rodriguez, on his 38th birthday, rehabbing his quadriceps strain at the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa, Fla., alongside other injured stars, including Curtis Granderson, the Yankees lost another player to injury.

Travis Hafner had an MRI Saturday that showed a right rotator cuff strain. The lefty-swinging slugger will be put on the DL Sunday.

Yet another blow for a club that has not homered in nine straight games, its longest streak since going 10 in a row in 1984.

And the Yankees' newest hope to provide power - Alfonso Soriano - was hitless in three at-bats, leaving him 0 for 8 since returning to New York.

Kelly Johnson had an RBI single off Ivan Nova (4-4) in the sixth to help the AL East-leading Rays improve to 24-5 since June 23, when they were in last place.